Who He Says He IsCalled a man who has been singularly forged by the fire of destiny, “Bishop” Elijah Bernard Jordan was apparently “called” at the age of 15, when he was summoned to prophesy. (Apparently God told him in a dream that he could prophesy [9]) “By the age of 24, he was recognized nationally as a prophet. Rising from the obscurity of the ghetto to his present and current fame he is known to millions as God’s messenger, the Prophet”. He founded Zoe Ministries in Westfield, New Jersey with 60 people in attendance, and has been senior pastor since 1983. The following are excerpts from his site. [All Emphasis Added]

“Armed with a vision of a church resplendent in a glory greater than of Solomon’s Temple, Bishop Jordan has been building a ministry of restoration that would accurately reflect the Biblical pattern, tearing down the constraints of traditionalism and exposing the lies that have led the church into captivity”

“Zoe Ministries touches thousands, both nationally and internationally. Noted primarily for his prophetic ministry and revelatory teaching, Bishop Jordan established the School of the Prophets in 1985. The School is specifically geared towards those who are called to function in prophetic ministry, yet is an invaluable source of ministerial ethics that are applicable to any office of ministry.

Bishop Jordan is in great demand, for he is quite charismatic and personable. He is often featured on various telecasts, both locally and nationally. Most recently, he has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, FOX 5, Good Day New York, CNN, and many, many others. He was also featured in The Daily News, New York Times, New York Post and Newsday with some of his congregates as well as in an interview in Billboard Magazine on his views concerning social issues…. [1]

Bishop Jordan is a modern-day prophet whose ministry is absolutely astounding! Like Nostradamus, Bishop Pike, and Edgar Cayce, the accuracy of the gift that operates in Bishop Jordan will astound you! He is known to predict exact names, dates, and times of events both individually and globally! His visual perception is so exact that he is able to give accurate descriptions of locations that are pertinent to the recipient of the prophecy! [2]

It is exceedingly difficult to have anything but contempt for a so called Christian minister to compare himself with a sixteenth century dabbler in the occult. [See Information on Nostradamus]

Bishop Pike: And as far as Bishop Pike goes, he was a chain-smoker, an alcoholic and vigorously pursued occult methods of contacting the dead.

In 1966, Pike's son Jim took his life in a New York city hotel room following a period of recreational drug use. Shortly after his son's death Pike began to experience poltergeist phenomena. Books seemed to vanish and reappear, and safety pins were found open and placed to indicate the hour of 8:19, the approximate hour of his son's death. Half of the clothes in a closet were found disarranged and heaped up while the remainder were still in perfect order. Pike led a public (and for the church, embarrassing) pursuit of various spiritualist and clairvoyant methods of contacting his deceased son in order to reconcile. In September 1967, Pike participated in a televised séance with his dead son through the medium, Arthur Ford, who served at the time as a Disciples of Christ minister. Pike detailed these experiences in his book The Other Side An Account of My Experience with Psychic Phenomena. [3]

In 1967, Pike divorced his wife Esther and married Dianne Kennedy the following year. Diane was the executive director of a foundation which conducted research into life after death. She and Pike had collaborated together on the book, "The Other Side: which recounted Bishop Pike's successful efforts to establish contact with the spirit of his son. [4]

Yet, in sharp contrast, the Bible says

He (Manasseh, king of Judah) made his sons pass through the fire in the valley of Ben-hinnom; and he practiced witchcraft, used divination, practiced sorcery and dealt with mediums and spiritists. He did much evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger. [2 Chronicles 33:6. NASB]

So Saul died for his trespass which he committed against the LORD, because of the word of the LORD which he did not keep; and also because he asked counsel of a medium, making inquiry of it, and did not inquire of the LORD. Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse. [1 Chronicles 10:13-14. NASB]

Bishop Jordan differs from those who can operate with extra-sensory perception, for his calling as a prophet endows him with a degree of authority. As a prophet, he can truly decree a thing and see it established---just like the prophets of the Scriptures! He is not one just to give information, but he is also known to create miracles and circumvent events merely by the power of his speech! [1]

Jordan, Sharpton and RunJordan certainly seems to be well known..

“Musical celebrities have come to Zoe Ministries to hear Jordan preach. Joseph Simmons, better known as Run from the ground-breaking 1980s rap duo, Run-D.M.C., was so enthralled that he became a minister in the church. He is now the Rev. Run.

Jordan is also a friend of fellow minister and 2004 presidential candidate Al Sharpton. They are close enough that for the last six years, Sharpton and his family have rented a half-million-dollar house that the bishop and his wife, Debra, own in Brooklyn”. [9]

Prophetic Awareness SoapFor some reason “His Grace” has learned how to make soap. Jordan’s site also sells Prophetic Awareness Soap containing Saponified Oils of Palm, Coconut, Olive, Lemongrass Essential Oil and Rosemary Extract. And what is this soap supposed to do? [All Emphasis Added]

This is a great way to start your day and bring you the confidence you need to stand before those whom you need to face. Walk in the confidence that has been given to you by God Almighty as you bathe with this soap, know that you are becoming more aware and spiritually guarded, so that you can meet life's challenges. This is a soap that helps bring protection and give you a greater ability to function with greater intuition and insight. Remember, according to your faith, so be it done unto you. [5]

And all this time I thought soap was for cleaning.. And if you persist in that outdated idea [Sarcasm Intentional] how about …

Other Money Making ScamsThe Trailblazer For a Suggested Donation of $365.00, or just a dollar a day… “Bishop Jordan will go before God on your behalf, and discern the script that has been written for your life!”

“He will prophesy what he sees on a cassette tape, and actually map out your life! He will tell you when you are to make critical steps, enter into partnerships, and many other issues that you need to know. He will tell you what you can expect for the next twelve months, giving you a map that you can follow to the destination of your destiny. According to your faith it shall be done unto you.” [6]

Or how about a 12 Month Prophetic word from the “Master Prophet”! What exactly is a “Master Prophet” anyhow?

Prophetic Word Your $365 prophetic word will give you the ability to:

1. Gain clarity in what God is calling you to do for the next twelve (12) months! It will also bring you out of your struggles...and bless everything you touch....

2. Give you power to know each and every move to make during each and every month for the entire year, which will put you ahead in the game of life.

This is the season for you to take control of your destiny and let the Master Prophet guide you in your next level of success, so hurry and find out what God intends for you! [7]

Want to go yet one step further.. Still not good enough? Well you can always join the …

The Prophetic Inner Circle But, please note, that the price has gone up considerably. The “Suggested Donation” is now $3,000.00, for which you will be assigned a personal prophet “who will be a “living letter” of Master Prophet E. Bernard Jordan” and who will “help you discover your weaknesses and move you into your personal strengths”. [8]

And where does much of your money go? A September 14, 2003 article By Chris McKenna on the Times Herald-Record site tells much of the story. The article quotes “Bishop” Jordan as saying..[Emphasis Added]

"Jesus had the same story I had," … "He was born to a family that was poor, and he overcame all the odds by becoming rich in every way."

and says that Jordan

“makes no apologies for his mansion and fleet of cars, which includes a Rolls-Royce and a Mercedes-Benz SUV. For him, wealthiness is next to Godliness – a way to "fulfill life's purpose" and help others.

"We're not taking any vow of poverty," he tells his flock. [9]

I am sure it would not be too difficult to own a fleet of luxury cars if one’s ministry collected $2.8 million in one year as Jordan’s Zoe Ministries is said to have done in 2001. [Does God Want Us To Be Rich? See Section on The Prosperity Doctrine]

According to the Times Herald-Record, Jordan who is the son of a construction worker, and who grew up in a three-bedroom apartment in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, now lives in a multi million dollar 27-room mansion in the gated community of …

Tuxedo Park.

“In 1996, the Jordans left Brooklyn and moved with their five children into the Frelinghuysen estate in Tuxedo Park, the gated community of multimillion-dollar manor homes nestled in the wooded hills of southeastern Orange County”. [9]

What and Where is Tuxedo Park?Tuxedo Park is a village within the southern part of the Town of Tuxedo, in Orange County, New York. A small, but elite community it boasted a population of a mere 731 at the 2000 census. Originally developed as a resort for Blue Blood society in 1885, the owner, Peter Lorillard, organized the Tuxedo Club and the Tuxedo Park Association, as hunting and fishing preserve, and surrounded the property with a high game fence, which still fairly accurately marks the boundaries of the present day community.

The Tuxedo Park’s web site says

This elegant gated community's idyllic existence has changed little in its quality of life. Situated within 2,500 acres, you still drive through the imposing stone Gates to the magnificent houses nestled around three beautiful lakes [11]

In recognition of its historical and architectural significance, the historic district was listed as Tuxedo Park on the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1980.

In fact, not only did Emily Post wrote her “Blue Book of Etiquette” based on what she observed inside the great stone gates of Tuxedo, but the man’s dinner jacket called a “Tuxedo” derives it’s name from Tuxedo Park, where it was said to have been worn for the first time at the annual Autumn Ball of the Tuxedo Club. Some notables that have lived in Tuxedo include:

Dorothy Draper – a famed interior designer. Her great-grandfather, Oliver Wolcott, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Her husband, Dr. George Draper, was the personal doctor to U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt after he was diagnosed with polio, and she and Eleanor Roosevelt were good friends growing up

Adele Colgate – heir to the Colgate/Palmolive fortune,

George Baker – Banker, provided much of the initial funding for Harvard Business School.

JP Morgan was an American financier, banker and art collector. In 1892 Morgan arranged the merger of Edison General Electric and Thomson-Houston Electric Company to form General Electric. Morgan was one of the wealthiest men in the world in 1901.

Alfred Loomis was an American attorney, investment banker, physicist, philanthropist, and patron of scientific research. His role in the development of radar is considered instrumental in the Allied victory in World War II. He established the Loomis Laboratory in Tuxedo Park.

William Waldorf Astor, who in 1890 became the richest man in America after inheriting a personal fortune from his father.

Herbert C. Pell was a United States Representative from New York, U.S. Minister to Portugal, U.S. Minister to Hungary, and an instigator and member of the United Nations War Crimes Commission. He inherited a share of the Lorillard fortune through his mother, Katherine Lorillard Kernochan.

Augustus Juilliard whose philanthropy built the renowned conservatory of dance, music, and theatre in New York City that bears his name..

In fact Pheasant Ridge, also called “The Japanese Cottage”, was once owned by the son of Stanley Baldwin, Prime Minister of England and cousin of Rudyard Kipling. [10]

The only reason we have included these details about Tuxedo Park is to give the reader an inkling of the level of “society” that so called Christian ministers aspire to. But to return to Chris McKenna’s piece on the Times Herald-Record site. Please note while the text is from the Times Herald-Record, the photographs are from www.recordonline.com.

Jordan’s Stamp on Tuxedo Park

At the time, only three families had lived in the 11,000-square-foot mansion since it was built in 1900. The Frelinghuysen family bought it in 1906 and dwelled within its stucco and stone walls for 60 years. The Jordans paid $1.7 million for the house and 5.5-acre property.

After moving in, the bishop commissioned a team of Russian artists to paint elaborate art work on the walls and ceilings of the first floor, a job that took two to three years.

Egyptian-themed murals cover the walls of the great room: ancient Egyptians hunting, fishing, moving a sarcophagus. One shows Jordan on a throne, as pharaoh.

Nearby, in a room with scarlet walls and gilded filigree on top, there is a ceiling painting of Jordan on a throne – as God – with his three sons hovering around him as angels.

On the ceilings in the foyer and another room, there are baroque-style paintings of his children as cherubim, soaring across the heavens.

None of this quite compares to the living room.

Here, the four walls are covered with murals depicting New Testament scenes, each with Jordan as Jesus in the familiar iconography of medieval and Renaissance art. Two scenes show the Ascension: Jesus/Jordan ascending into heaven after rising from the dead. For a Nativity scene, the artists used Jordan's baby picture to depict Jesus/Jordan in the manger.

Dozens of people in biblical garb crowd around Jesus/Jordan in each scene. For each figure, the artists reproduced from photos the faces of the 200 or so people who paid for the $1 million renovation of the mansion. Run, who bought the huge chandelier hanging in the center of the room, is there in the crowd. So is Sharpton.

"These are the people who believed in what we're doing," Jordan says. "This is our way of saying thank you to them and immortalizing them."

Being depicted as Jesus doesn't make Jordan uncomfortable.

"It's not really me," he says. "It's me as the principle of Christ. We teach everyone that they are Christ."

Parked out front, among other vehicles, are a white Rolls Royce, a black stretch limousine, a yellow Hummer and a black Mercedes-Benz G500 SUV. The limousine, Jordan says, was bought purely for practical reasons: It was the best way to transport his family and staff to and from the city while paying a minimum of tolls.

The Jordans may not stay here many more years. The bishop said he plans to sell the Tuxedo Park mansion, which was appraised at $3.6 million in June of last year. He has already tried unsuccessfully to sell the house several times, at one point asking $4.7 million. It isn't on the market now.

In the meantime, builders are finishing a two-story house for the family at the retreat in Woodbourne, a more modest abode than their current digs at a mere 3,360 square feet. The Jordans also have a penthouse apartment in the Chelsea section of Manhattan.

Jordan says he also plans to shed his luxury cars, a category that excluded his wife's $48,000 Hummer and his $74,000 Mercedes. [9]

[b] Bishop Bernard Jordan is seen all over the house painted in biblical murals like this one where he is surrounded by his three sons as angels. http://archive.recordonline.com/photo/bishop/pages/ejgbhom3.htm

[c] With gilding throughout the house and murals his two daughters are shown as angels just off the entry. http://archive.recordonline.com/photo/bishop/pages/ejgbhom4.htm

[d] Bishop Jordan points out various biblical scenes in his dining room, where in the background, shows his birth. http://archive.recordonline.com/photo/bishop/pages/ejgbhom7.htm

[e]In the dining room where there is a mural that surrounds the whole room, the Rev. Al Sharpton, center smiles out from a crowd of people. All people in the room depicted donated money to have the bishops' home renovated. http://archive.recordonline.com/photo/bishop/pages/ejgbhom2.htm

[f] As Bishop Jordan talks about various issues in his dining room two of his three sons, Joshua and Yakim accompany him. The chandelier in the background was donated by the Rev. Run.http://archive.recordonline.com/photo/bishop/pages/ejgbhom8.htm

[g] Bishop Jordan’s home in Tuxedo Park sports a Mercedes SUV, a Hummer 2, and a Rolls Royce and a few other assorted cars. http://archive.recordonline.com/photo/bishop/pages/ejgbhom14.htm